Electrical fuse-wire holder



Patented Nov. I, I898.

awmntoz W. D. PACKARD.

ELECTRICAL FUSE WIREHOLDER.

(Application filed Sept 29 1897 No. 6l3,594.

(No Model.)

Witt luau Norms PETERS co. FHOTQ-LIYNO.. WASHINGTON, a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM D. PACKARD, OF WARREN, OHIO.

ELECTRICAL FUSE-WIRE HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 613,594, dated November 1, 1898.

Application filed September 29, 1897. Serial No. 658,426. (No model.)

To all whom it may conceive:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. PACKARD, of Warren, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Fuse-Fire Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in electrical fusewire holders for use in connection with fuseboxes and other contact devices.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a visible fuse cut-out whereby it can be readily ascertained at a glance whether or not the fuse-wire has been blown.

A further object is to provide a fuse-Wire holder in which the wire can be positioned without the aid of tools of any kind.

A further object is to provide a fuse-wire holder having a minimum number of parts; and a further object is to provide a yielding bearing which will prevent breakage when the parts are screwed home and insure contact at the ends of the fuse-wire.

I The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims. p

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, showing a fuse-box provided with one of my attachments. Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively perspective and vertical sectional views of the attachment shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view showing the attachment applied to an ordinary contact de vice. Fig. 5 is an end View of the inclosing casing. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively vertical sectional and end views of the wire-holder of the form shown in Fig. 2. Figs. 8 and 9 are views of the attachments preferably used where high tension is employed.

Heretofore in order to ascertain whether or .not a fuse-wire has been blown it has been necessary to remove the plug, to which the wire is secured, from its inclosin g casin g. The latter is usually made of porcelain or metal. Then, too, tools are invariably required in attaching the fuse-wire to its holder so as to insure proper electrical contact. The various forms heretofore employed have been expensive, and in many instances the results have been unsatisfactory, especially where access to the fuse-box is inconvenient.- By my improvement I provide for having the fuse-wire in full view, so that it can be ascertained at a glance whether or not such wire has been blown. I am enabled to do this with currents of both high and low tension. The fuse-wire is extended through a tube, which latter is inclosed in a glass casing, one end of said tube projecting beyond that end of the casing which is screwed into the socket of the fusebox or contact. The end of the fuse-wire on the protruding end of the tube is designed to have electrical contact within the f use-box or other device by inward thrust caused by screwing home the casing, such thrust also insuring contact at the other end of the wire. For the purpose of allowing all fumes to escape when a blow-out occurs I may provide the tube with one or more holes or perforations. In low-tension attachments the fusewire may be passed on the inside and outside of the tube, contact being had direct with the ends of said wire within the socket; but for high tension the fuse-wire is preferably passed longitudinally through the tube and attached to contacts on the ends thereof. One of these contacts engages a spring-supported disk, to which is secured one end of a wire leading from the socket endof the bulb. The spring avoids injury to the bulb by the tube when the parts are being screwed home into the socket or contact device.

Referring to the drawings, A designates an insulator in the form of a fuse-box, which may be of any preferred construction, it being essential, however, that it be provided with a bore 1 and socket 2, such as are embodied in the porcelain or metallic sockets like a, Fig. 2. Into this insulator leads a wire 8, terminating at the inner end of bore 1. A second wire 4 leading into the insulator terminates in socket 2. 111 this socket is designed to be fitted one end of an outer casing,

preferably in the form of a bulb a, said end being provided,as customary,with a threaded contact-ring (L This bulb projects outwardly from the insulator A.

B is a tube, which is extended longitudinally within bulb a, being passed through an insulator-disk b, which rests on the end of ring a It is shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 as having its protruding end Z) enlarged, against which and disk D bears a spring 11*, which encircles said tube. One end of the fuse-wire :0 is coiled afterbein g inserted through a hole in a metallic disk bflfitted in the end of said tube, and this disk in turn is inclosed by a second metallic disk I), which is designed to form terminal contact with wire 3. The wire as is passed through the tube and thence along the.

exterior thereof, its extreme end being coiled around tube B beneath disk I), so as to contact with ring a when the bulb-casing is screwed home into terminal contact with wire 4. In this way the two contacts are obtained by the inward thrust of the inclosing casing, the binding of the contact-disk 1) serving in the outward forcing of tube B to cause the other end of the fuse-wire to bear against the ring (0 thus completing the circuit. \Vhen the f use-wire is blown, it is only necessary to remove the bulb-casing and substitute a new wire or replace wire-holding tube B with one on which the wire has been previously positioned.

In the tube B, I preferably form two (more or less) holes G to permit of the ready escape of fumes in the event of a blow-out; but this is more especially intended for attachments for high tension. In the abbreviated form indicated in Fig. at the tube B is nec essarily shortened proportionately with the length or size of the bulb. In this form the spring resistance or bearing for the \vire-holding tube is obtained by forming the end of ring a with a star-shaped opening I), the several inwardly-projecting points forminga yielding bearing for the flared end 6 of the tube. The piece of metal struck outin forming this star-shaped opening is utilized as a plug 19 for holding one end of the fuse-wire, the pointed ends 12 serving to hold the plug in the tube by bearing against the wall of the bore thereof. The other end of the fuse-wire is coiled around the tube, so as to rest on the prongs of ring a For high tension the attachment is preferably slightly modified. In Fig. 8 I have shown the tube B provided with metallic rings d on its ends and a single strand of fusewire 00 extended longitudinally within the tube and in contact at its ends with said rings. Escape-holes are also formed in this tube. In fact, as before stated, they are especially adapted for attachments where high tension is used. The ring (1 on the protruding end of the tube B is inclosed by a contact-disk d. Within the bulb B is a disk (Z supported by a spring d which bears against the end of the bulb, and to this disk is connected one end of a wire 50 preferably insulated throughout its length, the other end of said wire being secured to the end ring d. In this way when the ring (1 is screwed into the socket the inward thrust will cause contacts through disks d (Z and the current is established through wires a," and 00 said disk 61 contacting with terminal of wire 8 and ring (Z with terminal of wire 4:. The spring (Z relieves the bulb of the direct pressure of the tube when the bulb is screwed into its socket. The form just described has been found to be convenient for linemen. It can be readily attached to any contact device by simply screwing home the ring end of the bulb. No tools of any kind are required.

In Fig. 9 I have shown the same form on a smaller scale for use in connection with the ordinary metallic or porcelain contact devices.

Vhile I have indicated the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, yet changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof.

I claim as my inventionl. A visible fuse cut-out comprising, in combinationwith an insulator having terminals, a casing projected outwardly from said insulator and having a cap, a fuse-wire, and a pendent holder therefor located in said casing and projected beyond the inner end thereof, said wire being placed in circuit with said terminals when said casing is forced home in said insulator, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with an insulator having terminals, of a translucent casing project ing outwardly from said insulator, and a removable fuse-wire-holding member located within said casing, and projected beyond the inner end thereof, and contacts between the ends of said fuse-wire and said terminals, said contacts being formed by positioning said casing in said insulator, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with an insulator having terminals, of a translucent casing projected outwardly from said insulator, a removable fuse-wire holder located within said casing, the fuse-wire being in electrical contact with said terminals, and a yielding bearing for said holder, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination with an insulator having terminals, of a translucent casing projecting outwardly from said insulator and having a contact-cap engaging one of the terminals thereof, a tube located in said casing and projecting beyond the inner end thereof for contacting with the other terminal of said lIlS11lttO1,3.l1d a fuse-wire carried by said tube, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with an insulator having terminals, of a translucent casing projecting outwardly from said insulator and having a contact-cap engaging one of the terminals thereof, a tube located in said casing and projecting beyond the inner end thereof for contacting with the other terminal of said insulator, a yielding bearing for said tube, and a fuse-wire carried by said tube, as set forth.

6. The combination with an insulator having terminals, of a casing projecting outwardly from said insulator and having a contact-cap for engaging one of the terminals thereof, a tube located in said casing and projecting beyond the inner end thereof, a contact-piece on the inner end of said tube for engaging the other terminal of said insulator, a spring-support for said tube, and a fusewire carried by said tube connected at one end to said contact-piece, said wire being placed in circuit when the casing is forced home, as set forth.

7. The combination with an insulator having terminals, of a casing projecting outwardly from said insulator having a cap for contacting with one of said terminals, a holder located in said casing and projected beyond the inner end thereof and having contact at its inner end with the other terminal of said insulator, a single fuse-wire carried by said holder and extending from said inner contact end, a yielding bearing in said casing for said holder with which said fuse-wire contacts, and a second wire leading from said bearing to said cap, substantially as set forth.

8. A fuse-wire holder comprising a casing and a tube, said tube located in said casing and having contacts at its ends, a single fusewire extended through said tube, a disk and a spring within said casing, said spring supporting said disk, and a wire leading from said disk to the contact end of said casing, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM D. PACKARD.

Witnesses:

J. NoTA MoGILL, GRAFTON L. MOGILL. 

